New England Fall Foliage Loop

Red maples, covered bridges and lobster rolls on the most colorful road trip in America.

Massachusetts · Vermont · New Hampshire · Maine
1,300 km
2 min read

Photo: Polaron at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0

Distance: 1,300 km · 810 mi
Difficulty: Easy
Time needed: 7–10 days
Suggested days: 9 days
Best season: Late September to mid-October

New England fall foliage RV road trip: Boston, Stowe, Franconia Notch, the Kancamagus Highway, North Conway, Portland and Acadia, with peak dates and camping tips.

Every autumn, the forests of New England turn red, orange and gold, and there is no better way to see it than a slow road trip with your home on wheels. This loop starts in historic Boston, crosses the Green Mountains of Vermont and the White Mountains of New Hampshire, then follows the rocky coast of Maine to Acadia National Park.

Expect white church steeples, covered bridges, apple orchards, cider donuts and maple syrup. The colors move from north to south and from high to low, so you can chase them for weeks.

Stops along the way

1

Boston

Walk the Freedom Trail through 250 years of American history before you head north.
2

Stowe, Vermont

A classic Vermont village with a white church, the Trapp Family Lodge and cider mills.
3

Franconia Notch

The Flume Gorge and the aerial tramway on Cannon Mountain.
4

Kancamagus Highway

A 34.5-mile scenic road with no gas stations and no services, only forests and rivers.
5

North Conway

Outlet shopping, a scenic railroad and the gateway to Mount Washington.
6

Portland, Maine

Lobster rolls, breweries and the Portland Head Light.
7

Acadia National Park

Watch the sunrise from Cadillac Mountain and cycle the historic carriage roads.

Good to know

Peak colors usually arrive in late September in the north and mid-October further south.
Route 108 through Smugglers’ Notch is too narrow for RVs and trailers.
Book campgrounds for October early; it is the busiest month of the year.
The road to the top of Cadillac Mountain needs a vehicle reservation in season, and RVs cannot use it.